Running-gear for vehicles.



No. 718,072. PATENTED JAN. 1a, 1903. A. s. BALDWIN.

RUNNING GEAR. FOB. VEHICLES.

APPLUIATION FILED NOV.'23., 1901.

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11057 18372. IPATENTED'JAN. 13, 1903.

- A. s. BALDWIN.

RUNNING GEAR FOR. VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NO'V123, 1901.

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STATES ALFRED S. BALDWIN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

QPEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,072, dated January 13, 1903. Application filed November 23,1961. Serial No. 83,450. (No model.)

To all whom it 17mg concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED S. BALDWIN, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear for Vehicles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates .to improvements in running-gear for vehicles, being particularly adapted for automobiles.

The primaryobject of this invention is to stiffen and strengthen the parts which experience has demonstrated are subjected to the greatest strains and wear and at the same time to reduce the weight of the runninggear.

Another object is to construct the frame of the running-gear in sections to reduce the cost of repairs should one part become im paired from any cause.

A further object is to render the operation of the revoluble and other movable parts easier and less liable to injury by overstrain,

and a still further object is to lengthen the bearings for the steering-wheels and to reduce the strain upon the steering mechanism.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts of a running-gear, as hereinafter fully described,and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of a running-gear embodying the various features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the detached rear-axle-supporting truss and the axles mounted thereon. Fig. 3 is an inner elevation ofthe front-axle supporting truss and the front axles in operative position. Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan, partly broken away, of one end of the front truss, showing one of the oscillating axles and bearing therefor. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged vertical sections through corresponding ends of the front and rear axle bearings, respectively.

Similar reference characters 7 indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the manufacture and operation of automobiles it has been found that a large percentage of accidents and expense of repairs is directly or indirectly due to some weakness or imperfect construction of the running-gear and that in many instances the machines are wrecked and the occupants severely injured on account of the imperfect and unreliable steering mechanism now in general use. My invention is designed to obviate these difiiculties without adding materially, if any, to the weight of the vehicle, and, as seen in the drawings, consists of a running-gear having a frame 1 and front and rear wheels 2 and3. f

The frame 1 comprises front andrear axle supporting trusses d and 5, each provided with oppositely-arranged sleeves 6 and 7, in which are journaled suitable axle-sections 8 and 9. The front truss tis composed of opposite similar sections 10, arranged end to end and secured at their meeting ends by suitable couplings or equivalent fastening means, as 11. As seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings, each of these front-truss sections consists of opposite separated bars 12, arranged substantially parallel and having their inner endsthre aded and adapted to engage threaded sockets in the coupling 11, and their outer ends are provided with substantially parallel and horizontal annular bearing-faces 13, arranged to receive and support the axle-sleeves 6 presently described. These outer ends are also] provided with inwardly-projecting annular flanges 14, Fig. 5, inclosing the bearing-faces13, for protecting the same from dust' and othe'r'foreign matter and are'formed with centralapertures 15 for receiving suitable pivotal pins or studs 16, projecting from the sleeves 6. The inter.- mediate portions of the upper and lower bars are connected by tie-bars 17, having their opposite endssecured insockets formed in the adjacent faces of suitable clamps 11" The axle-sleeves 6 are interposed between the corresponding outer ends of the bars 12, being mounted to oscillate horizontally on the hearing faces 13 and provided with annular grooves or races 18 for antifriction-balls 19, which bear against the faces 13. The studs or pins 16 are preferably screw-threaded in similar sockets in the axle-sleeves and form suitable trunnions upon which said axlesleeves oscillate and are usually threaded at their outer ends to receive finishing-caps 19', which serve also to prevent the entrance of dust or otherforeign matter into the apertures 15. The sleeves 6 are thus held from rotary movement by the trunnions and the adjacent horizontal bearing faces upon which the sleeves oscillate and are usually constructed in the form of a hollow steering member or sleeve having a lengthwise axle-opening from end to end, terminating in annular enlargements for forming ball-races to receive balls 20 or equivalent antifriction-bearings.

The outer ends of the sleeves 6 extend beyond the ends of the bars 12 and are provided with annular grooves in their end faces for receiving suitable dust-proof flanges 20' on the hubs of the adjacent wheels. The inner ends of these sleeves extend a considerable distanceinwardly from the trunuions or studs 16 to afford a longer bearing than usual for the revolving axles 8 and also to provide as long a leverage as possible in steering or guiding the front wheels.

The axles 8 extend entirely through and beyond the opposite ends of the sleeves 6, are separate from each other, and are journaled on the ball-bearings at the opposite ends of said sleeves, thus affording a long bearing for the revolving wheels, to which the axles are secured or clamped in the manner hereinafterdescribed. The outer ends of the axles are provided with reducedthreaded portions 21 and 22, wheel-receiving portions 23, which are still smaller in diameter than said threaded portions, and with threaded extremities 24. The threaded portions 21 receive cone-bearings 25, spoke-flanges 26, and nuts or threaded washers 27, the cones receiving the adjacent ball-bearings, and the spoke-flanges 26 are impinged or clamped between the outer ends of said cones and the nuts or washers 27 to rotate with the axles 8 and to permit the spokes to be tightened or loosened simultaneously when desired, and the portions 22 are threaded in the opposite direction and receive suitable lock-nuts, as 28. The threaded extremities 24 receive additional spoke-flanges 29 and a threaded cap or nut 30, the spoke-flanges 29 being loose on said outer ends of the axle-sections and may also be rotated to adjust the tension of the spokes, being held in their adjusted position by impingement between the outer end faces of the portions 23 and the nuts or caps 30.

The flanges 26 and 29 of each axle-section are each loosely mounted on the axle for adjusting the tension of the spokes a and are provided with suitable apertures for receiving the inner ends of said spokes, the outer ends of which may be secured in the usual manner to the wheel-rim. The inner ends of the axle-sections are also threaded to receive cones 31, engaged with the adj acentball-bearings, and are formed with reduced threaded extremities to receive a suitable lock nut or cap 32, and interposed between the adjacent faces of the cones 31 and caps 32 are suitable connections 33, having eyes 34, adapted to be connected to any form of steering mechanism b for oscillating the sleeves 6 and axle-sections mounted therein.

The rear truss 5 is similar in construction to the front truss 4, being composed of opposite sections 34, arranged end to end and having their meeting ends threaded and connected together by suitable threaded couplings 35, the meeting threaded ends of both the front and rear truss sections and also the couplings being threaded in opposite directions, so that by rotating the couplings the sections will be drawn together or separated, as desired.

I preferably provide the rear-truss sections with upper, lower, and rear separated bars 36, the outer ends of which converge toward the axles and are adapted to receive and support the outer ends of the rear-axle sleeves 7, presently described, said bars 36 being tied together by suitable tie-bars 38, which receive and support the inner ends of said sleeves. The sleeves or bearings 7 are preferably tubular in form, being provided with a lengthwise passage extending therethrough from end to end, and the outer end is provided with substantially radial arms 39, having apertures for receiving the outer ends of the truss-bars 36, which are preferably screwthreaded and provided with suitable nuts 40 for engaging the outer end faces of the radial arms and holding the truss-bars and sleeves or bearings in their proper relative positions.

The sleeve or bearing 7 preferably consists of inner and outer sections, the inner section having its opposite ends provided with peripheral threads, and the outer section is provided with internal threads adapted to be screwed upon the outer end of the inner section, the outer sections being provided with the arms 39 and with annular ball-races in their end faces for receiving suitable balls 41. The inner threaded ends of the inner sections of the sleeve 7 are screwed into threaded apertures formed in additional tie-bars 38, and it is thus apparent that the sleeves 7 are firmly held in position by the truss-bars 5 and 38. The inner end faces of the tie-bars 38 are provided with suitable annular recesses or ball-races for receiving ball-bearings 42, which,together with the ball-bearings 41, form a bearing for the opposite ends of the axlesections 9. These axle-sections extend entirely through and beyond the opposite ends of the bearings 41 and 42 and are provided with suitable cones 43, engaged with threaded portions 44 upon the axle-sections, whereby the cones may be adjusted to take up any wear in the bearings.

The outer ends of the axle-sections 9 are preferably reduced in diameter and are provided with separated flanges 45, the inner flanges being held in position by impingement between the adjacent end faces of the adjacent cones and suitable nuts or threaded washers 46, which washers are held in position by lock-nuts 47, the flanges receiving suitable spokes a, attached to the rim of the wheel, said flanges being loosely mounted upon the axles and are adapted to be rotated independently of the axle-sections for tensioning or loosening the spokes, as may be desired.

The outer end spoke-flanges are similar to the flanges of the axle-sections 8 and are held in position by nuts or threaded caps 49. The inner cones of the axle-sections are held in position by suitable lock-nuts 50, and the adjacent ends of the axle-sections project inwardly beyond the lock-nuts 50 and are provided with sprocket-wheels 51, which may be secured in any desired manner to the axlesections and are connected to the motor of the vehicle by any desired power-transmitting mechanism, (not shown,) as the motor and power-transmitting mechanism forms no part of my present invention.

The two bars 38 and 38' are detachably secured to the bars 36 by removable clampingplates 52, which are similar to the clamps 11 of the front tie-bars 17.

The front and rear axle supporting trusses are connected by reach-bars 54: and 55, the bars 54; being mounted at their opposite ends upon seats 56 and 57, provided, respectively,

on the upper bars 12 of the front truss and secured thereto by any desired form of clip, as 58. These seats also serve to support suitable springs 59, which are secured in position by clips 60. The reach-bars 55,0f which there are preferably two, arranged between and parallel with the bars 54', are provided at their opposite ends with clamps 61, adapted to be clamped to the lower bars 12 and 36 of the front and rear trusses.

As previously stated,the couplings 11 and 35 serve to simultaneously separate or draw the opposite truss-sections together, and it is evident that should it be desired to tilt the axles vertically either the lower or upper coupling of one or both of the axle-supporting trusses may be rotated independently of the other, thereby throwing the outer ends of the axles up or down, as desired, this movement being eflected without material strain upon the couplings not so rotated.

By constructing the spoke-flanges upon the axles as described the ordinary hub is dispensed with and the work of assembling the parts of the machine is thereby simplified.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that by forming the front and rear trusses in sections should either of the parts become impaired from any cause or rendered unfit for use such impaired section may be readily removed and repaired without necessitating the replacement of an entirely new truss and I that when the trusses are constructed as described they are particularly light, strong, and durable and facilitate the assembling and repair of the running-gear without the employment of skilled labor. It will be further noted that the front-axle sections, being piv-' otally supported at their intermediate portions to oscillate horizontally,afford a particularly simple and efficient means of steering the vehicle and materially relieve the strain upon the steering mechanism and adjacent parts of the running-gear of the vehicle, thereby reducing the liability of breakages and consequent accidents and personal inury.

Theoperation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that some change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of the component parts of the running-gear without departing from the spirit thereof. Therefore I do not limit myself to the construction and arrangement shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In a running-gear for vehicles, front and rear axles supporting trusses and reach-bars connecting the same, the rear truss comprising separated lengthwise bars and separate tie-bars uniting the ends of the lengthwise bars, said tie-bars having substantially central openings and annular bearings, separate sleeves secured in the openings, in combination with separate axles journaled in the bearings and having their inner ends provided with a driving member,and removable wheelsupporting flanges secured to the outer ends.

2. In a running-gear for vehicles,a rearaxlesupporting truss comprising separate lengthwise bars, sleeves between the outer ends of the bars having apertured arms for receiving said outer ends, said sleeves extending inwardly toward each other, tie-rods at the inner ends of the sleeves connecting the bars and having substantially central openings in which the inner ends of the sleeves are supported, and axles revolubly mounted in the sleeves and having their inner ends adapted to be connected to the driving mechanism and their outer ends arranged to receive the wheels.

3. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of a rear truss consisting of separate lengthwise bars, sleeves secured to the outer ends of the bars and projecting inwardly therefrom, tie-rods connecting the intermediate portions of the bars and supporting the inner ends of the sleeves, separate axle-sec tions revolubly mounted in the sleeves and extending beyond their opposite ends, the inner ends being provided with driving members and their outer ends having separate revoluble spoke-flanges for the purpose described.

4. In a running-gear for vehicles, the combination of a rear truss consisting of separate lengthwise bars, sleeves secured to the outer ends of the bars and projecting inwardly therefrom, tie-rods connecting the intermediate portions of the bars and supporting the inner ends of the sleeves, separate axle-sections revolubly mounted in the sleeves and extending beyond their opposite ends, the inner ends being provided with driving members and their outer ends having separate revoluble spoke-flanges for the purpose described, a front-axle-supporting truss, and reach-bars having their front ends secured to the front truss and their rear ends mounted on the sleeves.

5. In a running-gear, the combination with the front and rear axle supporting trusses, said front truss comprising a pair of parallel rods rigidly secured together and each formed at their opposite ends with horizontal bearing-faces provided with depending annular flanges, of sleeves rigidly secured in the rear truss at its opposite ends, sleeves arranged in the opposite ends of the forward truss, said last-named sleeves provided with annular bearing-s11 rfaces adapted to be received within the annular flanges of the said truss-rods, whereby they are permitted to oscillate, an axle journaled in each sleeve, and a steering means connected to the said front axles.

6. In a running-gear for vehicles, comprising front and rear axle supporting trusses, reach-bars connecting the same, and rear trusses comprising separated lengthwise bars arranged in vertical alinement and having their ends bent inward toward each other, tierods spaced apart and connecting the said bars, the outer of said tie-rods provided with screw-threaded openings oppositely arranged, sectional sleeves, the outer sections being provided with perforated arms adapted to receive the ends of the said bars, and the inner sections being externally screw-threaded and secured in theopenings of the said tie-rods, in combination with separate axles journaled in the said sleeves, and provided on their inner ends with a driving member, substantially as described.

7. An axle-supporting truss comprising a pair of bars arranged in vertical alinement and provided with converging ends, tie-rods spaced apart and detachably secured to the said bars, the outer of said tie-rods provided on their outer faces with screw-threaded openings, and on their inner faces with annular recesses, sectional sleeves, the inner sections thereof having their ends externally screwthreaded and their inner ends secured in the screw-threaded openings of their respective tie-rods, the outer sections being provided with internally-screw-thread ed bores and arranged on the outer ends of the said inner sections, apertured arms formed integral with the said outer sections and adapted to receive the ends of the said bars, in combination with separate axles jonrnaled in the said sleeves, and cones arranged on the inner ends of the said axles and being in engagement with the said annular recess of the said tie-rods, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of November, 1901.

ALFRED S. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. NOTT. 

